Can you walk on a green roof? (2024)

FAQs

Can you walk on a green roof? ›

One person can do this a couple times a week without causing permanent harm. However, you must avoid walking in a single path, standing in one place, or trampling your plants. If you must service a wall, parapet, or rooftop equipment, wait until the foliage is dry and conditions are not too sunny or hot.

Benefits of Green Roofs

It can provide a pleasant area for people to sit and walk and it helps to reduce the temperature of the environment.

Can people walk on the green roof? Generally, extensive green roofs are not designed for pedestrian traffic. But the occasional incursion by an inspector or maintenance worker would not be a problem for most commonly used plants.

If you want to protect yourself, it's critical to avoid walking on your roof. If you must walk on your roof, it's a good idea to seek the advice of a professional roofing expert like those at Authentic Restoration. You should also make sure to purchase adequate safety equipment to protect yourself from a severe fall.

In general, walking on the roof of your property isn't a safe. Any repairs that require access are best left to the professionals, but if you're an expert DIYer (and have a good head for heights) you might want to try minor jobs yourself. If so, it's essential to take precautions.

You can use a roof bracket to avoid slipping off a steep roof. Attach brackets to the roof before you start walking on it. Then, use a 2×4 as steps held in place by the brackets.

Take a look at some green roof options

You can expect the loading to be upwards of 250Kg per square metre. This is quite a lot, especially if your building is an average garden shed. As such, you may want to consider strengthening the walls of your structure and the roof deck before installing the green roof.

First, most home roofs just aren't designed for walking or sitting on. While your roof is designed to withstand a wide variety of abuse and damage, the simple act of walking or sitting on a roof creates a hazard that the roof isn't necessary made to withstand.

During the winter months it is possible to gain up to an extra 25% insulation in dry conditions by installing a green roof. It can also raise the outside temperature of the roof on average by 4.5°C when the weather is cold. It will also reduce heat loss due to wind by up to 50% compared to a bare roof.

“There can be significant benefits to having a green roof—from a positive psychological effect to potential energy use reduction due to natural insulation and thermal mass, reduction in lowering urban air temperatures or heat island effect, protection of property from weather damage and the potential to encourage an ...

What type of roof should you not walk on? ›

Bottom Line. Clean, wet asphalt shingles aren't any less safe to walk than dry ones. This does not apply to frost-covered roof, icy roofs, wood roofs, or any other type of roofing material. Wet wood roofs are ridiculously unsafe to walk, even with a mild slope.

This is due to intensive roofs needing deeper growing mediums, and therefore higher irrigation maintenance, allowing for the growth of trees and shrubs. In short, a lack of water supply is a big reason green roofs tend to fail. Make sure this is thoroughly planned out and avoid relying on manual watering procedures.

Roof Weight Standards

A minimum requirement is for roofs to be able to support a concentrated weight of 300lbs. Concentrated weight means that this load is placed directly on a single area on the roof.

Yes, the age of the shingles matter. The older the shingles are, the more susceptible they become to damage from foot traffic. The granules begin to come off as the asphalt becomes brittle. The shingles may crack or break off when it's cold, and could tear off during warm temperatures.

Shingles are hardy and are made to withstand an occasional walk. However, if it's hot outside, say 80 degrees, and there's direct sunlight on the roof, the asphalt base of the shingle will soften.

If you are new to walking on a roof and are a bit nervous, it is best to avoid anything steeper than a 6/12 pitch. If you are feeling confident and well balanced, then you might try a 7/12 or 8/12 pitch. Anything above an 8/12 should be left up to the professionals.

CONTINUOUS WOOD DECKS: The simplest walk surface is a single wood deck that spans the entire roof. Typical construction might be 2 x 4 sleepers laid on edge with 2 x 6 deck boards screwed in place. Protective pads of scrap rubber should be placed between the sleepers and rubber roof.

Substrate

Extensive green roofs need a substrate layer that is 8 – 20 cm thick to support the vegetation. The vegetation on intensive green roofs must be supported by a sub- strate layer no less than 15 cm thick. Depending on the kind of vegetation, the substrate layer may be as thick as 200 cm.